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Indonesian President Joko Widodo launched on Friday the nation's indigenously-produced plane N 219, which is highly expected to fulfill the need of transportation in isles and remote areas across the country.
The president codenamed the twin-propeller plane originally designed by Indonesian aviation industry as Nurtanio, taken from the name of Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo, an Indonesian admiral who pioneered national aviation industry.
Nurtanio was killed in a crash of plane that he designed himself to cope with his dream of flying across the world with an Indonesian self-made plane in 1966.
"Rear Admiral Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo was a national hero who wholeheartedly dedicated all of his life for the glory of national aviation industry," the president said in his remarks to inaugurate the plane in an East Jakarta airport.
Inauguration of the indigenous plane was part of the nation's observance of National Hero Day.
The plane made its maiden flight on Aug. 16.
The N 219 is designed to serve short airstrips which commonly found in remote areas across Indonesia, with the capability to transport 19 passengers in a single flight.
Besides serving passengers, the aircraft can also be converted for multiple purposes, among others cargo plane to serve the military, medical evacuation and relief transporter to disaster-hit areas.
The plane was jointly designed and produced by Indonesian aviation industry of PTDI and national airspace agency of LAPAN.
It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 turbo propeller engines, has maximum speed of 210 knots with economical speed of 190 knots.
The plane has distinctive character with its lowest speed at 59 knots, enabling it to cautiously passed over mountainous areas.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
